Arts Work

Phoebe speaks to Kathryn about how she set up ARTCRY—a politically responsive, public art fund that gives applicants a decision within 7 days. She talks about how she noticed a lack of political artwork in the public realm like the memorable artistic protests of the 1980s. She explains part of why that work didn’t exist was there was no existing fund to support reactionary artwork with a lead time of anything less than 6 weeks. In solving that problem, Kathryn came up with ARTCRY. Kathryn explains how she used professional networks and input from artists to refine the initial idea. She also discusses the skill set she built as a theatre producer that proved instrumental in building the partnerships that took ARTCRY from idea to reality. Kathryn’s experience shows that if you notice a gap in the market, something that you think should exist but doesn’t, you might be the perfect person to build it. Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.   You can find:    transcripts and details on the full series here   more information on Barclays Dance Pass here   follow Sadler's Wells on Twitter @Sadlers_Wells  more information on ARTCRY here follow ARTCRY on Twitter @ARTCRY1   Kathryn mentions: Improbable What next Emergency Exit Arts  

Ankur speaks to Phil (he/him) about how his journey as a producer began by running a one-off queer club night and has led him to creating one of the UK’s biggest arts festivals dedicated to LGBTQIA+ culture.  He explains how he initiated long-overdue conversations about queer representation within larger arts institutions, which led to long-lasting partnerships. He talks through how he applied for, then allocated, funding and support from multiple sources to help him create the first iteration of Curious Festival. Phil shares how he came to feel comfortable with the title and responsibilities of ‘producer’. He talks about how positive role models helped him give himself permission to be confident when networking and building collaborations to expand the cultural offerings in the North East of England.  Phil’s experience shows the power of identifying a gap in the market and harnessing your own perspective, entrepreneurship and creative energy to bring new ideas and ventures to life. Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.    You can find:    transcripts and details on the full series here   more information on Barclays Dance Pass here   follow Sadler's Wells on Twitter @Sadlers_Wells  more information on Curious Arts here follow Curious Arts on Twitter @CuriousArts 

Ankur speaks to Ivan Blackstock about the many hats he wears as an artist and how he stays true to himself across the disciplines of dance, theatre, film and music, to name a few.Ivan talks about creating spaces such as CRXSSPLATFXRM, to showcase new work and enable collaborations in hip hop and street culture. He talks about going between the worlds of performing at Sadler’s Wells and choreographing Beyoncé’s BROWN SKIN GIRL video.Ivan shares how self-guided learning, especially through social media, is core to how he continues to grow as an artist. He talks about how he has built up a community of collaborators over the years, who are also his greatest supporters and who help him in times of self-doubt.Ivan’s experience is a great example of how to build a body of work within existing organisations and within new contexts that you create. His story is a testament to a two- way street that makes the best artists: when you learn from and pave the way for the artists around you, you develop yourself.Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.    You can find:    transcripts and details on the full series here   more information on Barclays Dance Pass here   follow Sadler's Wells on Twitter @Sadlers_Wells  follow Ivan on Twitter @ivanblackstock And follow CRXSSPLATFXRM on Twitter @crxssplatfxrmIvan also mentions:Birdgang BROWN SKIN GIRL video

Phoebe speaks to Morayo about how her love of writing helped her pivot careers—from chemical engineering to marketing and communications in the arts.  Morayo shares how she realised that she needed to change jobs, what she did to make sure she knew it was the right decision and who helped her along the way. She also talks about how her love of telling stories is at the heart of her role at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Morayo’s experience shows that you could be great at marketing and communications if you’re curious about what makes people tick and enjoy telling people about the things you love. It also shows that you can transition into the creative sector, especially if you’re driven by a passion for the work, the organisation or the role you’re after. Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.   You can find:   transcripts and details on the full series here  more information on Barclays Dance Pass here  follow Sadler's Wells on Twitter @Sadlers_Wells follow Morayo on Twitter here @MoRay_13 And follow the Royal Exchange Theatre on Twitter @rxtheatre Mo’s resource recommendations:  The Drum Arts Marketing Association Bozoma Saint John @badassboz  Campaign Skylar MarchaiDigital Culture Network Google Digital Garage 

Phoebe speaks to Edilia Gänz who has been at the heart of innovating the way opera and ballet are funded. She is the Director of FEDORA, a platform dedicated to early-stage funding for artists and projects across Europe. In this episode, Edilia breaks down the multiple ways the arts are funded. She explains the way her job balances creativity and data. She describes the art of connecting donors to projects they will be passionate about.  Edilia’s experience shows us how crucial fundraising roles are to the creative industries, and how your skills and interests could be valuable in these jobs.  Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.  You can find:  transcripts and details on the full series here more information on Barclays Dance Pass heremore information on FEDORA herefollow Sadler's Wells on Twitter @Sadlers_Wellsand follow Fedora on Twitter @FEDORA_Platform

Ankur speaks to Helen Comerford who has been a stage manager for smash-hit theatre productions across the UK and the globe. As a stage manager, Helen’s been responsible for the smooth-running of all types of theatre productions from the first day of rehearsal until the final performance. She’s worked for some of the best-loved theatres, shows and companies in the UK, most recently for Wise Children. In this episode, Helens talks about the thrills of orchestrating a live performance with the precision of a fighter-jet pilot. She explains the different routes into technical theatre and some of roles you can pursue if you love props, set or lighting. She shares how she found her confidence as a stage manager working in a theme park and how you deal with things going wrong at the London 2012 Olympics. Helen’s experience shows us how you can find your way into the technical roles in theatre, and be a crucial part of the show. Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.   You can find:  transcripts and details on the full series here more information on Barclays Dance Pass here Find out more about Wise Children here follow Sadler's Wells on Twitter follow Helen on Twitter @HelenJoC 

In our first episode, Phoebe speaks to Shay D who’s a rapper and Education Coordinator at Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention.  Shay is a leader in the field of hip hop education. She is at the forefront of Breakin’ Convention’s push for developing the confidence and skills of young people and accrediting hip hop theatre as a recognised qualification. Shay champions women in music and works tirelessly to increase representation of female voices in rap. She led the first ever all-female UK hip-hop tour. In this episode, Shay talks about her upbringing in North London where she found her love for spoken word and rap. She shares how developed her own professional network through community projects, schools and arts organisations. She tells us about how her work as an artist informs her mentoring and youth work.  Shay’s experience is a great example of how you can build a career as an artist and an educator. Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass.  You can find:  transcripts and details on the full series here more information on Barclays Dance Pass here more information on Breakin’ Convention herefollow Sadler's Wells on Twitterfollow Breakin’ Convention on TwitterAnd follow Shay on Instagram here  

Want to work in the arts, but don’t know what you might do? Think you need to know someone to get in? Phoebe and Ankur work at Sadler’s Wells, a leading dance organisation working to change the perceptions and realities of working in the creative industries. Listen to their conversations with people under 40 who are killing it in the worlds of dance, theatre, museums and more to hear about the variety of roles that exist and how you could find your way in. Arts Work is brought to you by Sadler’s Wells in association with Barclays Dance Pass. @Sadlers_wells